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Searching for new life at the foot of the planet p32
Plus: The South Pole, 100 years on – exploring Scott’s legacy p46
THE COLDEST LAB
ON EARTH
www.knowledgemagazine.in
SCIENCE HISTORY NATURE FOR THE CURIOUS MIND
Plus: What’s the hottest curry your intestines can endure? p65
Did Picasso steal the Mona Lisa? p12
THE DECLINE OF THE AZTEC EMPIRE p78
INSIDE THE MIND OF A LIAR p40
THE BIRD THAT THINKS IT’SA COW p60
THETHI
Volume 2 Issue 3 April 2012` 100
www.knowledgemagazine.in
SCIENCE HISTORY NATURE FFOR THHE CCURIOUUSS MMIINNDD
Volume 2 Issue 3 April 2012` 100
WINGIFT HAMPERS from BBC Entertainment p38
FREE!MAR-APR CALENDARINSIDE
Plus
R.N.I.MAHENG/2010/35422
p32
p36
p46
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On the cover
3April 2012
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65 Pushed to the ExtremeFind out how much a human body can endure physically
10 Q&AIs anything being done to clear space junk?
DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT…Could the brain scanner soon be the ultimate lie detector – your neurons revealing whether you’re telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Andy Ridgway fi nds out
he classic Simpsons episode Who Shot Mr Burns? sees bar owner Moe hooked up to a polygraph lie detector machine
as he answers a police offi cer’s questions. “Do you hold a grudge against Montgomery Burns?” “No,” says Moe. The polygraph machine lets out a loud BUZZ and a red light glows, indicating a lie. “All right maybe I did, but I didn’t shoot him.” PING – green light. “Checks out,” says the offi cer, rising. “OK, you’re free to go.” “Good, cos I got a hot date tonight,” says Moe. BUZZ. “A date.” BUZZ. “Dinner with friends.” BUZZ. “Dinner alone.” BUZZ. “Watching TV alone.” BUZZ. “All right,” says Moe, humiliated. “I’m going to sit at home and ogle the ladies in the Victoria’s Secret catalogue.” BUZZ. “Sears catalogue.” PING. “Now would you unhook this already please, I don’t deserve this kind of shabby treatment!” BUZZ.
Poor old Moe. The polygraph test cut through him like a knife. If only it were that simple. The truth of the matter is that it’s not. For most of the last century, the polygraph machine has been the main tool used to discern fact from fi ction. It measures the response your body makes to the questions being asked – changes in things like blood pressure, body temperature and breathing rate. The idea is that your body will reveal the truth, even if you’re reluctant to.
There are two main criticisms of polygraph machines. Firstly, they simply measure how stressed you are, and being nervous may not show that you’re lying. Secondly, they can be tricked. If a cunning interviewee pricks himself with a pin to boost his heart rate during the easy ‘control’ questions, for instance, his anxiety won’t be clear when the critical questions come along.
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CATCH A LIAR
40 April 2012
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78 Fall of the AztecsWas Moctezuma, the last great Aztec ruler, a victim or villain in the eyes of his people?
40 Don’t even think about it...Is the brain scanner the ultimate device to spot a lie? Andy Ridgway finds out more
60 Stink BirdIntroducing the Hoatzin, the punk-like Amazonian bird who eats a diet of leaves
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Pushed to the EXTREME What are the physical limits of the human body? How fast is it possible to run? How hard can you punch? And what’s the hottest curry your intestines can endure? Luis Villazon has the last word
ust how far can the human body be pushed? We’re going to discover the theoretical
limits of the envelope. In other words, how far could the human species ever go? At this rarefi ed height of achievement, we are beyond the point at which mere training or willpower are suffi cient – or even especially relevant.
We want to know the point at which the laws of physics step in and take precedence over those of biology. This is the point where sinew snaps and
bones shatter. To this end, we have devised a series of tests that each look at a different area of physical capacity. Standard International Olympic Committee rules apply: no drugs, gene therapy or bionic implants are allowed.
Of course, actually performing these tests would be tricky. If we studied real people, our tests would, in most cases, result in the death or serious injury of the subject, so it’s not the sort of research you fi nd written up in Nature very often. Instead, we have talked
to a lot of experts, done a pile of calculations and come up with a number.
The results are our best estimates for the absolute ceiling of human endeavour. We’ll also see what the current record is, and gauge how close a normal, healthy adult would come, as a percentage of the theoretical maximum.
So turn the page and fi nd out the records that even the most perfect athletes could never better. IL
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65April 2012
10 April 2012
� How does eye colour affect what you see? p11 � How does Stephen Hawking’s voice synthesizer work? p13 � What’s the biggest man-made hole in the world? p14 � Do dyslexia rates vary between written languages? p15
Is anything being done to clear space junk?
When it comes to clearing space junk, prevention
is better than cure. Disposal plans are therefore built into most missions. At the end of a satellite’s life, it’s usually programmed to steer itself out
of orbit and into a suicide dive down towards the Earth, burning up in the atmosphere.
The proposed clean-up technology currently leading the way to deal with existing bits of space junk involves ground-based lasers. A medium-powered laser would be trained on a small fragment to vaporise paint on its
EXPERT PANEL
surface. As the material fi zzes away, it creates a tiny force. This pushing motion in the near-zero gravity of space is suffi cient to propel the object out of orbit and towards a fi ery end as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere. GMS
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QA& YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED [email protected]
Jupiter has the shortest day in the Solar System, taking only 9 hours and 55 minutes to rotate 360º on its axis. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System, with a diameter of 143,883km (89,405 miles). Its mass is 317 times that of Earth. But if it were 80 times larger than its current mass, it would be classed as a star and not a planet.
KNOW SPOT
Q
A
Stuart BlackmanA zoologist-turned-science writer, Stuart is a contributor to BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Susan Blackmore (SB)Writer and broadcaster Susan is also a visiting professor at the University of Plymouth, UK.
Robert MatthewsAn award-winning science writer, Robert is also a visiting reader at Aston University, UK.
Gareth MitchellThe presenter of Digital Planet on the BBC World Service, Gareth is also a journalist and lecturer.
Nick RennisonNick is an editor and writer, as well as a regular contributor to BBC History Magazine.
Luis VillazonA freelance science journalist based in the UK, Luis holds an MSc inzoology from the University of Oxford.
Yan Wong Yan studied under Richard Dawkins and has a PhD in evolutionary biology. He is a popular science TV presenter on the BBC.
Lasers are one proposed method of cleaning up the
human-made fl otsam in space
VITAL STATS
months is for how long a
tuatara lizard has to
incubate its egg
before it hatches
15
APRIL 2012
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52 PortfolioWhat lies beneath the ocean’s surface
4 April 2012
ON THE COVER
FEATURES
32 Lake InvadersScientists have recently drilled down Antarctica’s largest subglacial ice in the hope of finding a new branch in the tree of life
36 The Race to the PoleTrace Norwegian Roald Amundsen’s journey as he beat Briton Robert Scott to the South Pole
46 Great Scott? Captain Scott’s reputation has gone through several changes in the century since his death
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52 Portfolio: Underwater Habitats David Doubilet’s breathtaking photographs illustrate the diversity of life and habitats below the surface of the world’s oceans
40 Don’t Even Think About It What is the art of lying. And can the polygraph machine do anything about it?
38 Frozen PlanetFind out what the BBC Entertainment producers experienced during the filming of this polar series
84 Frozen LaboratoryAntarctica has been the explorers’ and the scientific community’s playground since decades. What’s in store there for the Indian scientists?
SCIE
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78 Moctezuma: Collaborator or Victim?Has history been unfair on the Aztec ruler who was defeated by the Spanish conquistadors?
60 Foul-smelling fowlThe hoatzin, known to the South Americans as the ‘stink bird’
46 Pole positionAntarctica: 100 years after Scott
78 MoctezumaDid the Aztec ruler betray his people?
NAT
URE
60 The Bird that Thinks it’s a CowDeep in the Amazon jungle lives a bird whose digestive system is more akin to that of a cow
ON THE COVER
ON THE COVER
65 Pushed to the ExtremeHow far can you push the human body before it breaks down?
ON THE COVER
HIST
ORY 74 Harappan Legacy
What connections does the present day India have with the Harappan and Gangetic civilisations? Michel Danino tells us
ON THE COVER
’sw
SOUTH POLESOU LESO
LLEE
ANNIVERSARY100th
5April 2012
SCIE
NCE 86 The Big Idea: Nature vs Nurture
How much of our being is predetermined by our genes and how much is shaped by our upbringing and the world around us?
74 Harappan LegacyFind traces of present day India in the Harappan civilisation
REGULARS
6 InboxThe editor tells us what’s on her mind
9 Think & WinStretch your mind and win a cash prize
10 Q&A ON THE COVER Questions that boggle the mind until they’re answered
16 SnapshotThree amazing pictures from the world over to enlighten, tantalise and amaze
96 GadgetsNeed help in finding the right gizmo? Explore the latest gadgets and apps in the market
UPDATE
22 The Latest IntelligenceKeep abreast of the latest developments in the worlds of science, nature and history
26 Comment & AnalysisDemystify the secrets of consciousness with Dr Susan Blackmore
27 Principal SpeakLata Vaidyanathan, Principal of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi tells us the secret to her school’s legacy
28 World News in ContextDavid Keys looks at the historical factors that saw Greece’s economy face disaster in 2011
RESOURCE
94 ReviewsRecommendations of books and websites to keep you up-to-date with the world
98 Last WorldBachendri Pal speaks about her exemplary feat as the first woman to climb Mt. Everest
94 ResourceIs it dangerous to do what your brain wants?
16 SnapshotPeek into the eyes of the jumping spider
22 UpdateAre we closer to all-conquering cures for everyday allergies?
10 April 2012
� How does eye colour affect what you see? p11 � How does Stephen Hawking’s voice synthesizer work? p13 � What’s the biggest man-made hole in the world? p14 � Do dyslexia rates vary between written languages? p15
Is anything being done to clear space junk?
When it comes to clearing space junk, prevention
is better than cure. Disposal plans are therefore built into most missions. At the end of a satellite’s life, it’s usually programmed to steer itself out
of orbit and into a suicide dive down towards the Earth, burning up in the atmosphere.
The proposed clean-up technology currently leading the way to deal with existing bits of space junk involves ground-based lasers. A medium-powered laser would be trained on a small fragment to vaporise paint on its
EXPERT PANEL
surface. As the material fizzes away, it creates a tiny force. This pushing motion in the near-zero gravity of space is sufficient to propel the object out of orbit and towards a fiery end as it re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere. GMS
CIE
NC
E P
HO
TO L
IBR
AR
Y, T
HIN
KS
TOC
K X
2, D
RE
AM
STI
ME
Q A& YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED [email protected]
Jupiter has the shortest day in the Solar System, taking
is the largest planet in the Solar System, with a diameter
Earth. But if it were 80 times larger than its current mass, it would be classed as a star and not a planet.
KNOW SPOT
Q
A
Stuart BlackmanA zoologist-turned-science writer, Stuart is a contributor to BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Susan Blackmore (SB)Writer and broadcaster Susan is also a visiting professor at the University of Plymouth, UK.
Robert MatthewsAn award-winning science writer, Robert is also a visiting reader at Aston University, UK.
Gareth MitchellThe presenter of Digital Planet on the BBC World Service, Gareth is also a journalist and lecturer.
Nick RennisonNick is an editor and writer, as well as a regular contributor to BBC History Magazine.
Luis VillazonA freelance science journalist based in the UK, Luis holds an MSc inzoology from the University of Oxford.
Yan Wong Yan studied under Richard Dawkins and has a PhD in evolutionary biology. He is a popular science TV presenter on the BBC.
Lasers are one proposed method of cleaning up the
human-made flotsam in space
VITAL STATS
months is for how long a
tuatara lizard has to
incubate its egg
before it hatches
15
THIS ISSUE CELEBRATES a century since man first reached the South Pole. To be more precise – it is Roald Amundsen who holds the honours. The tale is nothing short of a potboiler; it was a race to the finish between Amundsen and Robert F Scott from Britain. Beaten by only a few weeks to reach the Pole, Scott and his team paid the price of the journey with their lives shortly thereafter. “We took risks - we knew we took them,” Scott writes in his journal as he waited to die on the Great Ice Barrier in March of 1912.
A hundred years on, as if on cue – in February of this year, after decades of on-off drilling, a Russian team has finally reached down one of the most inhospitable spots - Lake Vostok, Antarctica’s largest sub-glacial lake. Reaching this has been equated with reaching the Moon (story on page 32). This feat is
extraordinary; the lake is thought to be as old as 20 million years and is expected to be as rich for information about the Earth’s past as the Jupiter ‘alien’ lakes.
Away from the accomplishments of the others, to get a real sense of human courage in utmost adversity - a must-read is the article Pushed to the Extreme. Have you ever wondered how far a human body can be pushed physically till it can endure no more? What is the lowest core body temperature that a person can survive? Or how fast can our legs carry us before they tear apart? Read the feature on page 65.
This edition of BBC Knowledge is dedicated to the celebration of the spirit - where courage culminates into exploration and adventure.
inbox � Send us your [email protected]
Enjoy your favourite magazine wherever you areIndia Editor: Preeti Singh www.knowledgemagazine.in
UK/USA/Canada Editor: Sally Palmer www.knowledgemagazine.com Asia Editor: Ben Poon www.regentmedia.sg/publications_bbc.shtml
Brazil Editor: Cáren Nakashima www.revistaconhecerbbc.com.brBulgaria Editor: Hristo Dimitrov www.knowledge.bg Sweden Editor: Jonas Berg www.bbcknowledge.se
Taiwan Editor: Hui-Wen Lan
Know more. Anywhere. SCIENCE HISTORY NATURE FOR THE CURIOUS MIND
WELCOME
Michel DaninoA French-born Indian author, Michel takes keen interest in ancient Indian history. From the age of fifteen, he was drawn to India and then to the nationalist philosopher
Sir Aurobindo. He has extensively studied the Aryan invasion theory, evolution of the Indian culture and civilisation. See page 74
HOW TO SUBSCRIBETo subscribe online, visit: mags.timesgroup.com or SMS: KNOWSUB to 58888
Subscription Centres:
Send editorial, advertising and subscription enquiries to: BBC Knowledge Magazine, Worldwide Media, The Times of India Building, 4th floor, Dr. D N Road, Mumbai 400001
6 April 2012
EXPERTS THIS ISSUEMax Jones Max has spent many years studying the Antarctic expeditions of Captain Scott, with particular reference to masculinity and empire. In this issue, he examines how public perception of Scott as a true British hero
has changed in the 100 years since Amundsen won the race to the South Pole. See page 46
David DoubilletOne of the world’s great underwater photographers, David’s self-proclaimed goal is to redefine photographic boundaries each time he enters the water. See page 52
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